Chapter 264 – Four Years of Focused Cultivation to Break Through to Innate (Part Three)

“White clouds turn to gray hounds—the world is ever-changing.”

One could say that when Ye Kuang felt this sentiment again, it arose from genuine reflection.

However, it was worth mentioning that thanks to this episode, all the clouds and dust obscuring his heart vanished without a trace.

Turning around, he continued moving forward.

His resolute and unhesitating figure, though seemingly stern, embodied his determined resolve to stride toward tomorrow.

No matter how majestic the mountains or how profound the oceans, they could not compare to the clarity he now possessed in a single thought.

Perhaps it was only through this baptism of fire that he could awaken the long-dormant power within him.

As the layers of inner fire grew increasingly vigorous, Ye Kuang’s body and mind became like a furnace, seamlessly integrating all he had learned throughout his life.

The profound mysteries he had failed to grasp before could now be understood in the span of a morning and evening.

The eleventh palm of the Dragon Subduing technique, “Fish Leaps from Abyss,” seemed on the verge of leading him to comprehend the twelfth palm, “Riding Six Dragons.” Yet, it felt as though a certain catalyst was missing, leaving him in a state of half-understanding.

Surprisingly, the Jade Void Creation Art progressed directly to a stage of familiarity.

Here, it must be noted: if the other eight Martial Studies were Mental Cultivation Methods, then the Creation Art was unique—it served only to catalyze progress, without distinct Realms, only degrees of familiarity.

As for the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Fists, since Ye Kuang’s initial comprehension, their profound and abstruse nature had kept him trapped in the “Burn the Boats” stance, which inflicted a thousand injuries on the enemy at the cost of eight hundred to himself.

If asked which Ultimate Technique Ye Kuang cared about the most?

It would undoubtedly be the Body Tempering Secret Art, “Myriad Tribulations Undying”!

For what fear could there be of countless enemies when one’s physical body was invincible?

Yet, to his deep regret, he remained only at the first level: the Bronze Skin Iron Bone Body.

The difficulty of this Ultimate Technique far exceeded Ye Kuang’s imagination.

“Third level of the Nine Yin Manual.”

At that moment, a soft sigh drifted faintly through the air.

Ye Kuang’s eyes snapped open, revealing a trace of disappointment.

After three days of scorching trials, his search for his true self had ended in failure.

If he delayed any further, he would surely meet an untimely death.

Three days without water—any ordinary person would have been roasted into jerky, utterly deceased.

With this thought, Ye Kuang began frantically absorbing external energy.

The current environment, brimming with extreme yang forces, was ideal for cultivation—why let it go to waste?

As soon as the Creation Art was unleashed, it accepted everything without discrimination, momentarily disrupting the heavenly secrets and inverting the cosmos.

In that instant, fiery radiance swirled around Ye Kuang, transforming into specks of Starshine that vanished into his Baihui point.

Once his meridians completed a full cycle, his body and mind became impervious to the scorching heat.

His power surged exponentially, cycling endlessly. The interplay of yin and yang, the pursuit of the ultimate yin essence—it was precisely as described.

Layers of impenetrable true yin energy solidified like substance, crystallizing into frost flowers. In the blink of an eye, as the stars shifted, they enveloped Ye Kuang entirely.

From the outside, he appeared transformed into a statue of ice.

His five senses were sealed, his six perceptions in deep hibernation.

In that moment, Ye Kuang and his Dantian became a world of their own.

Regardless of the ferocity of the flames, his presence had completely vanished from this space.

Like a silkworm spinning a cocoon of ice, Ye Kuang waited silently for the day of blossoming.Little did he know that subconsciously, he had focused all his attention between Myriad Tribulations Undying and essence tempering.

His Dantian world now resembled vast oceans, spreading throughout his flesh, blood, tendons, and bones, layer by layer tempering his limbs, skeleton, and the nine palaces of his internal organs.

….

As the withered flower bloomed again, its emerald leaves successively entered the harsh winter—three hundred and sixty-six days had passed by then.

When winter gave way to spring and all things revived, as if bursting forth with the vibrant beauty befitting the season, another year had elapsed.

Meanwhile, the outside world followed suit.

Spring’s colors fill the garden, unable to be contained, as a single red apricot branch stretches beyond the wall. The mountain forests were permeated with the scent of hormones, all for the purpose of courtship and nurturing a new generation.

Abruptly, another eight thousand seven hundred and eighty-four hours slipped away.

The harsh winter months could not conceal the timeless landscape of endless mountains and rivers, nor the bustling, tireless figures rushing to the sea under sunny skies—a testament that as long as life persists, people will never cease their busy endeavors.

Now, after four years—a major cycle—everything had changed except the surroundings.

Kunlun Secret Realm, abode of the Three Venerables.

At this moment, countless puzzled gazes were drawn, each inevitably deeply shocked by such a bizarre phenomenon.

They well knew that this sea of flames had been inexplicably ignited four years ago, burning fiercely ever since, with not a trace of aura leaking from within.

But now, astonishingly, from it erupted from time to time a overwhelming, soaring energy.

It seemed both arrogantly boundless—as if in this life there was no one who could be a rival—and innately transient as the blink of spring and autumn, yet even desolate days could not conceal the boldest ambition and courage.

Thump, thump, thump!

Beneath the sea of flames, the sound grew increasingly like thunderous drumbeats, echoing far and wide across the heavens.

In an instant, even the Three Venerables could not help but appear, one after another, unable to hide their astonished expressions.

Old Taoist: “Eh-haha, I’ve won! Old Alchemist, go fetch that medicinal pill at once.”

“Don’t get so cocky! As long as he hasn’t broken through to the Innate realm, he can’t possibly step out of this sea of flames. The outcome isn’t decided yet—I haven’t lost!” As he spoke, Old Alchemist clearly felt a chill in his heart.

The crowd: “…”

Just as everyone fell silent, the formation of the sea of flames suddenly surged and swelled to over thirty zhang high.

This vivid spectacle was like layer upon layer of cages, restraining the source from which the aura was being released.

Seeing this, Old Alchemist couldn’t help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

“Hahaha, I told you so! Quickly, hurry up and bring out your great treasure.”

“How can this be? It shouldn’t be! That was clearly a strong heartbeat earlier, why is it growing weaker now?”

“Stop your nonsense and hand it over!”

“What’s the rush? As long as the heartbeat persists, it means he’s not completely dead. How can you claim the outcome is decided?”

“…”

It must be said, though everyone present wore expressions tinged with unshakable gloom, they were clearly baffled by the two living treasures’ sudden exclamations and alarms.

Only at this moment did they realize that there seemed to be someone cultivating beneath the sea of flames.

And for a whole four years, no less!

But how was that possible?

Could he still be human?

Hiss, hiss, hiss!